Root severing attachment for tractors



April 7, 1953 J. L. HAINEs 2,633,792

' ROOT SEVERING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Filed Dec. 12, 1949 l A\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"w INVENTOR. JAMES L. HA/NES BY mw my ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 7, 1.953

UNITED sTATEs PATENT om-*lcs v Y 2,633,792, Y RooT SEVERING ATTACHMENT I TnAoToRs FOR James L. Haines, Denver, Colo. Application December 12, 1 949, Serial No. 132,495

This invention relates to improvements in devices for pruning tree roots.

Certain sodded areas suchv as golf courses, large estates, and the like, have trees thereon, the roots of which rob the grass of moisture and hence detract from an optimum growth of grass in the vicinity of the trees. It has been found that the growth of these trees may be controlled by judicious pruning of the roots thereof, which pruning does not kill the trees, yet permits a greater proportion of the soil moisture to be absorbed by the glass lto thus enhance optimum growth of the latter. A

In the pruning operation it is desirable to disrupt the soil as little as possible so that no fills or replacement of soil or sod is necessary. The present invention more particularly relates to devices for attaining this object.

Another object is to provide a root `severing blade which may be attached to conventional tractors.

Another object is to control lifting, lowering, and otherwise positioning the severing blade by the power hitch means provided on a tractor.

Another object is to provide a rearwardly slanting severing blade which, in operation, severs the roots without tending to lift them toward the surface of the ground.

Another object is to provide the blade with means for limiting downward movement thereof into the ground.

Further objects are to provide a severing attachment which is simple and rugged in construction, economical to manufacture, and is efiicient in operation.

Still further objects, advantages, and salient features will become more apparent from a consideration of the description to follow, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a conventional tractor, a portion being broken away, showing the manner of attaching the root severing device thereto;

Figure 2 is an isometric view of the device and portions of the power operated hitch of the tractor;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the root severing unit taken in the direction of arrow 3 Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 44, Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5 5, Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a section taken on line @-6, Figure 2.

1 claim. (ci. sri-226.1)

Referring in detail to the drawing, tractor Ill is provided with a power hitch comprising traction links II, IIa, pivoted at their front ends to the tractor and pivotedat their rear ends, as at P, to a transverse draft bar I2. A lifting link or arm I3 is also provided, the rear end of this link being raised or lowered by power from the tractor, applied to the forward end of the link so that an implement connected to draft bar I2 and liftinglink I3 may also be raised, lowered or iixed at a desired position relative to the ground, alias more fully disclosed by the patent to Ferguson, No. 2,118,180, dated May 24, 1938. It is to be understood that this patent is exemplary, only, and that the present invention may be used with other power operated hitches and with other types of hitches whether power or otherwise operated.

A pair of upstanding bars I4, I4a are secured at their lower ends to draft bar I2 by bolts I5 and the upper ends are secured together by bolt I6 which extends through a tubular spacer member I'I which may be secured to one of members I4 or I4a. The rear end of link I3 is journaled on this spacer. The upstanding bars I4, |411y have secured thereto rearwardly extending portions I8, I8a. respectively, by means of angularly disposed bars I9, I9a and downwardly ranging brace bars 20, 20a. It will be observed that portions I8, Ia are braced laterally by bars I9, I9a and vertically by bars 20, 20a, and that members I4, I4a provide an A frame for connection at the top thereof to lifting link I3. This assembly provides an exceedingly strong construction which is well braced in al1 directions to withstand the forces applied thereto.

The severing device comprises a pair of rearwardly extending bars 2|, 2Ia having downwardly curved portions 22, 22a, respectively. A

root severing blade 23 having a cutting edge 2i thereon is disposed between the downwardly curved portions and is secured thereto by bolts 25 which extend through said portions and the blade.

A spacer bar 26, the same thickness as the blade and curved the same shape as bars 22, 22a is disposed between the latter from a point adjacent the top edge of the blade, at 21, to the for ward ends of bars 22, 22a. Suitable holes 28, 29 extend through the bars 2I, 2Ia, and spacer bar 26 and the severing unit is secured to portions I8, I8a by means of bolts 30, 3I which extend through lthese portions and the bars.

A brace plate 32 is provided having a rectangular aperture 33 through which bars 22, 22a and 26 extend, this plate being welded as shown at 34 to the bars 22, 22a. The lower rear end of the plate is provided with a slot for receiving the severing blade therein and the ends of the plate, on each side of the blade, are welded to the lower ends of bars 2|, 21a, as shown at 35. The downwardly ranging portion 36 of the plate acts as a stop, which engages the surface of the ground or sod, to limit unauthorized movement of the blade intox` the ground.

It is to beY particularly noted' thatY the edge- 24 of the severing blade 23 slants downwardly and rearwardly, which tends to force the roots dowii1-v wardly as it cuts them, thereby prevent-ingangedisruption of the ground above the roots. theblade moves through the ground it leaves a slotv therein of a width only the thickness offthellafde,

which may be easily closed. byy running-1 over: it

with a tractor wheel. If desired', a closing roller maybe attached to the rear of the severingfdevie'e:

positioned with its upper end between the curved ends of the frame, means for clamping the blade in position between said ends, the cutting edge which faces towards the tractor being downwardly and rearwardly inclined, and a combined depth gauge, guard and brace plate of substantially Z-shape provided adjacent its upper end with an opening through which the curved members extend, the upper end of theV brace plate extending forwardly, thel lower end' ofthe brace plate being slotted for reception of the root cutting blade, the upper end of the brace plate being welded-tov theA frame above the curved portions tlciereoi` and having its lower end welded to the ends of the curved portions adjacent opposite faces of? the blade, the lower and rearwardly extending end. of the brace plate forming a depth gauge.

JAMES L. HAINES.

mir-narrarCrisv CITED The following references are of" record the nie. of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number l Namev Date 605,49? Melton Y ;;s June 14, 1898 1,534,098 Wood' r ;r Apr. 21, 1925 937,428; Keefe in n-nnlvvl 28, 1933 Y OTHER REFERENCES Earmi Implement and Machinery Revie'wg vol. 74, No. 886, February 1, 1949,.page 1074.. 

